This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

eight

"Would you run by Mike's later today and get some double A batteries? We're out." Her grandma says as she passed her on the stairs, completely disregarding the fact that the girl was clearly in distress.

Her grandma was there. With her at the hearing, she saw her cry, she watched her hold Kiara back as she screamed at Ward. She listened to her complaints about it all on the drive home, and yet— it was back to business as usual.

It was for the entire island. No one cared anymore. John B was going to be killed for a crime he didn't commit, and that was just that.

Cassie nodded slightly, pausing on the stairs for a moment as her grandma headed up, before continuing her descent.

And stood on her front porch, was Rafe Cameron.

Cassie held onto the railing, and didn't move. His back was to her, he hadn't realized she was there yet, she still had time to turn around and go back upstairs, but he spoke before she got a chance.

"Wait—" he started, and Cassie jumped at the sound of his voice.

Silence for a few seconds, then she stepped forward off the last stair, and swung the screen door open, joining him on the porch. She stood in front of him, stared angrily up into his eyes, and then smacked him.

He held his face in the opposite direction for a few moments as he let the sting simmer out on his cheek, breathing heavily.

She knew he was fighting the urge to do something back. To do just the same. But what was he gonna do with her grandma just upstairs? With neighbors on either side, the houses just barely feet apart?

Her lips trembled as Rafe slowly turned his face back to hers. Her palm burned and he knew his face did just the same. She was riddled with anger-fueled adrenaline, but as she met his eyes again, she just felt like an idiot.

Why she was even allowing him to stand here, on her porch, in front of her like this? She didn't know. "I hope you rot in hell." She spoke quietly, through gritted teeth, as a tear dropped off her cheek.

He was unfazed by her comment, though underneath all of that,  he looked sickly. His skin was paler, eyes red. "I'm not calling them." He says after a moment.

"You think that's what this is about?!" Cassie shakes her head slightly. "I know you were hiding, in your mansion, while your parents went out to the court hearing without you— but I just found out my friend might be killed for a crime you—" she pushed on his chest, and he stumbled back from it without any protest. "— committed."

She felt herself pissing this guy off more than she was ready to handle. But she didn't care anymore. What more could he do, kill her? That'd look good for him. Maybe that way there'll be a better investigation. Maybe that way, with Cassie dead, they'll link it back to John B, and he'd be free.

He scrunched his nose, glancing out towards the harbor. Then he turned back to face her, looking at her through tired, half closed eyes. "Do you get it now?" He eventually asked.

Cassie opened her mouth to respond, but realized she didn't know what he meant. "Get what?" She asked, thrown off by his sudden level-headedness.

"Would you have killed me?" He asked. "The other night, when— would you have killed me?"

Cassie took a slight step back, her chest feeling like it could cave in on itself. "You're crazy— Rafe. You— would you have killed me? Any of us? Because you looked like you were going to—"